Humanoid robots show off their language and boxing skills in Hong Kong
[April 14, 2026] By
KANIS LEUNG
HONG KONG (AP) — A humanoid robot about the size of a primary school
student had something to share in Hong Kong — it sang songs and spoke to
people in Mandarin and English, answering whatever questions they posed
and delighting the audience around it.
More than 100 robots were showcased at two exhibitions starting Monday
at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. The X2 Ultra robot
from China’s prominent humanoid robot manufacturer AGIBOT Innovation
(Shanghai) Technology Co. was among them.
When asked about its hobbies, the robot's list went from doing sports
and dancing to studying technology and listening to music. Describing
the people in front of it is no challenge either: "a woman holding a
phone, a woman holding a bag and a phone, a man holding a camera,” it
said at one point.
Calvin Chiu, the chief operating officer of Novautek Autonomous Driving,
AGIBOT's agent in Hong Kong, said that the robot can provide emotional
satisfaction to humans through conversations and serve as a teacher to
older adults and children. Different robots can be programmed with
different personalities, too.
“It would be like a friend,” Chiu said.
Chinese manufacturers among leading players
In China, technology has evolved into an area of competition with the
U.S., with national security implications. Beijing’s latest five-year
plan vows to “target the frontiers of science and technology.” Speeding
up the development of products like humanoid robots and their
applications is part of the 2026-2030 plan for the world’s
second-largest economy.
Official data showed China had more than 140 humanoid-robot
manufacturers and more than 330 models in 2025.
London-based technology research and advisory group Omdia recently
ranked three of them — AGIBOT, Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics
Corp. — as the only first-tier vendors in its global assessment in terms
of shipment numbers. They all shipped more than 1,000 units of
general-purpose embodied intelligent robots last year, with the first
two companies shipping more than 5,000 units, the report said.
In February, humanoid robots were among the highlights of the CCTV
Spring Festival gala in China, a television show celebrating the Lunar
New Year. A martial arts performance by children and robots stole the
spotlight.
Diverse applications and manufacturing advantages
Some Chinese exhibitors flexed their advances at the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Center on Monday, showing robotic capabilities
that ranged from talking to humans, punching and sand painting to doing
backflips and catching suspects with nets during security patrol
demonstrations.
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A humanoid robot manufactured by Novautek showcased at an exhibition
in Hong Kong on Monday, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/ Chan Long Hei)
 Robert Chan, global strategy officer
at EngineAI, based in Shenzhen, brought its PM01 robot to showcase
its mobility, including doing a front flip. His company plans to
launch two factories in China for mass production this year.
He said that China enjoys advantages in certain areas, such as
low-cost engineering. He also pointed to the pattern of sharing
know-how between companies, unlike in the United States and Europe,
where companies typically shield their own technology.
Human-looking robots
Chan foresaw that the next stage of robotics would move toward
robots featuring bodies looking like people, with more emotional
exchanges and facial expressions, or even looking like they can
breathe. That is about plugging the gap in robots' interactions with
humans, he said.
“The warmth and emotion exchange with the human being. Besides,
helping humans to make the decision and helping humans to complete
their task,” he said.
One company in the exhibition appears to be moving toward that
direction.
From a distance, three women appear to be greeting guests at an
exhibition booth at one corner. Up close, they turn out to be
humanoid robots that could be the future of customer service and
museum tour guides.
Wang Zuhua, business director at Shenzhen DX Intech Technology Co.,
said that the company sold more than 400 robots designed with female
features and soft synthetic faces. Some are already working in
museums and government venues on the mainland, where they can lead
guests to washrooms and offices or provide venue tours, he said.
Malaysian visitor Russel Lupang was amazed by their appearances and
movements.
“It’s beautiful, but not real feeling,” he said.
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